Explosive



l atented Aug. Z5, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LLEWELLYN J. w. JONES, or TACOMA, WASHINGTON, Ass snon T0 JAMES F. OBRIEN,

or SEATTLE, wnsnnvs'rorr ExnLosIvn No Drawing.

My invention relates to explosives whose characteristic ingredients are chlorates or perchlorates of an alkaline metal, or of ammonium.

I am aware that patents have been issued covering the use of liquid oily dinitrotoluene with chlorates or perchlorates of alkaline metals, or of ammonium, together with carbonaceous substances, and with or without nitrates of the alkaline metals, or of aminonium, and restrainers such as silicoaluminous substances and carbonates of the alkaline earths, but it has been found that such powders are not constant in quality with the lapse of time.

I particularly find that during the winter months, when the temperature falls to the freezing point of water and the atmosphere is surcharged with moisture during the rainy periods, that the explosive qualities of the powder are partly, and sometimes wholly, lost.

' I have discovered that the reason for this condition is that the commercial oily dinitrotoluene is not of sufficiently definite a composition and that it has a solidifying point varying, in different samples, from 30 C. to 66 C., and that when it solidifies it does so in a crystalline mass.

In the practical manufacture of these chlorate powders it is necessary to heat the so-called oily dinitrotoluene to remove it from the steel drums in which it is shipped, and to keep it in liquid condition for mixing the other powder ingredients therewith. No difficulties are experienced until after the powder is made and packed into cartridges.

After being packed into cartridges, however, the strength of the powder rapidly falls during the first two or three days, it then remains fairly constant during the summer months but, when the cold weather sets in, it loses its strength still more, occasionally even failing to explode. The reason for this is that the powder loses its plasticity and fails to transmit, with sufficient force and rapidity, the heat and shock of the detonating cap.

I have discovered that these difiiculties can Application filed March 17, 1927. Serial No. 176,291.

be overcome by the substitution in the above outlined ingredients, of a part, or the whole, of the dinitrotoluene by an appropriate proportion of mononitrotoluene, specifically the orthoisomer which is liquid to" as low a temperature as *10 C. and remains liquid at all higher temperatures up to its boiling point, 218 C. The advantage of using the orthonitrotoluene is that its readily dissolves the dinitrotoluenes and, if used in sufficient quantity, will prevent their crystallization and maintain the powder in its plastic condition indefinitely.

At the present time the cartridges, after being filled, must be crimped by hand as it is-important that the powder be loosely packed on account of the swelling and hardening that results from its crystallization. By-the use of the orthonitrotoluene, however, this crystallization is prevented and therefore it is possible to substitute an automatic crimping machine for this manual labor, thereby attaining two important results a reduction in the cost, and (b) avoiding the troublesome skin inflammation (dermatitis) which constant contact with thepowder produces on the hands of some of the workers.

. I; find that it is possible to substitute the orthonitrotoluene for the dinitrotoluene completely, but for other reasons, particularly its poisonous effect on the workers, I prefer to use as small a quantity as possiblel I find that a mixture of one-third orthoto'two-tliirds di-nitrotoluene gives us' very satisfactory results but it is to be understood that the proportions can be varied to suit the conditions of climate and temperature-as-needed. I o In order to attain the best results in the waterproofing of the powder I mix the orthonitrotoluene first with the dinitrotoluene (which has 'beenliquefied or melted in order to remove it from the drums) in the desired proportions and I then pour this .warmliquid mixture over the thoroughly dry warrn salts and other dry ingredients. The carbonaceous substance which I prejfer touse is sawdust, but any of many others maybe usediwith substantially the same results, such as charcoal, flour, starch, etc. As restrainers I prefer to use either silicoaluminous substances, such as brickdust, powdered clay, or sand, or carbonates of the alkaline earths, particularly calcium carbonate, such. as limestone, and such restrainer being ina finely powdered condition.

My improved. explosive therefore comprises chlorates or perchlorates of alkaline metals, specifically sodium or potassium, or of ammonium, with or without nitrates of alkaline metals, specifically sodium or potassium, or of ammonium, carbonaceous substances, with or without silico-aluminous substances or alkaline earth carbonates, and liquid orthonitrotoluene, with or without liquefied or melted dinitrotoluene, the said dry substances being thoroughly mixed with the said liquid, whereby each grain thereof is coated with the said liquid.

The exact proportions of which the various kinds of powders are composed will vary within rather wide limits, depending on the character of the work required of them, their cost, and the circumstances under which they are to operate, for instance the following would be typical powders R0070 powder #1 chlorate, 70 to 80 parts; orthonitrotoluene,

to 10 parts; melted dil-litrotoluene, 10 to 13 parts; and sawdust 5- to parts.

7. An explosive consisting of sodium chlorate, 5 to 50 parts; sodium nitrate, 5 to 50 parts; orthonitrotoluene, 5 to parts;

dini trotoluene, 5 to 15 parts.-

LLEWELLYN J W. JONES.

5 to 15 parts; and saw-dust,

Parts Sodium chlorate 7 8 Dinitrotoluene h. 10 Orthonitrotoluene 5 Sawdust i 7 R0070 powder #3? Parts Sodium chlorate. .W 73 Sodium nitrates 7 Sawdust V i 5 Dinitrotoluene .i 10 Orthonitrotoluenm i t. 5

Stwmpz'ng powder #1 Parts Sodium chlorate Sodium nitrate 38 Sawdust 7 'Dinitrotoluene 1'0 Orthonitrotoluene 5 Stu laying p owder #2 7 Parts Sodium chlorate w 33 Sodium nitrate V 40 Sawdust V V 9 Dinitrotoluene v v 12 Orthoni'trotoluene; V 6

Having therefore described my invention what I claim is 1. An explosive composed of ehlorates of alkaline metals finely divided carbonaceous substances; and the orthoisomer alone of mononitrotol uene.

2. An explosive consisting of c'hl orates of alkaline metals; finely divided carbona- 

